Wall of Disclaimers is up on my profile.

I ended up forgetting about this.

I pulled together my bag of essentials. Glancing at the album I decided to take a second look. Nothing interested me. It was filled with photos of me in a swimsuit showing off my abs and my parents acting like a loving couple. I say "acting" because they divorced three months after that. There was no picture of a red dress. I tossed the book into the box with a growl. What were the chances she was in a photo? I could have seen her in a bus or in the hotel lobby. We could have passed anywhere.

I reclined on my bed. The half-packed suitcase lay beside me as I heaved a sigh. What could narrow down the choices or at least help me remember? I pulled out my lap top and typed up a list.

MY CLUES

by Sergei Ivanov

Phuket, Thailand - It is the land of a thousand smiles. I have been there on two accounts. Once at fourteen and the other at nineteen. I recall the vacations well.

Red dress – Celeste mentioned the girl was wearing this. I have no idea what style it may appear in.

Girl - My apparent soul mate. I do not know anything about her. She was with me in Phuket. For how long I do not know.

Elephant statue- It appears in the visions and that leads me to about every temple in Phuket.

Pagoda of gems – It is supposedly covered in precious stones. Perhaps a temple?

Water – It is an island. Need I say more?

Snorkling/diving – I have done both. Unlikely, that I saw her from under water.

James Bond - I have yet to see his role in the proceedings. Celeste mentioned a movie. I wonder which.

Island - Phuket is surrounded by tiny islands.

I was surprised that my information was of so little. I would have to rely on chance. Damn luck. I couldn't do that. I personally believed that life was out to screw you in every way imaginable.

I finally decided to ask people that I didn't think I would ever speak to again. The first being my father. I picked up a phone and started dialing. He wasn't in the same business. He wasn't in any business. As far as I can recall, he was living off a girl he met. She liked older men. Really older men.

"Who is this?"

"Sergei."

"Sorry, I don't know a…"

"Ivanov." Silence filled the other end.

"So your mother gave up that bastard and is making you to ask for forgiveness?" The cockiness reminded me why I never called him.

"No. I want to know if you have any of the photos from our past vacations." I could hear the sound of Maria or Vanessa or whatever her name was in the back ground.

"Nope. Your mother wouldn't even let me take my pants, remember?" I couldn't forget.

"Good bye." I almost hit the "end call" button, but his voice sounded over the line. It sounded awfully quiet.

"Wait! Tell your mother, I still miss her."

"I will." And she will believe me when hell freezes over.

Next I dialed my mother. I could already imagine the scolding I would get for not calling. I shifted at the dial tone. I was a contractor. I wasn't supposed to be afraid of anything. But I'm afraid of that woman. She was the one who taught me how to use a shot gun to hit a playing card at a hundred paces when I was ten. That just goes to show the type of woman she is.

Did I mention she was the one who introduced me to my trainer? Yep, she got me into the life style.

"Larista Petrov."

"Mother."

"Oh! Sergei! Why haven't you called me? You could have sent an e-letter or whatever that is. I was so worried! Were you involved in the hit last September? I heard everyone involved was dead! And here you are! Are you feeling alright? Are you eating enough? Mommy knows you love a good meal. Stop by soon. You know, Perry doesn't hate you…"

I spent the next five minutes reminding her that if I told her my location I could be killed, telling her I was healthy and reading fake doctors notes to prove it, and assuring her in general that I was alright. Whatever scolding she had for me was gone when I mentioned father.

"Don't believe a thing that son of a bitch says! I hate him and he hates me. He only wanted a cute ass and when I wasn't pretty, he dumped me. Forget that we had three children together! Sure one was a miscarriage but we had two living children! Forget the twelve years of marriage! (Note that I was fourteen at the time of their divorce. That says something, doesn't it?) He is a selfish bastard who should burn in HELL!" I let mother rant for another few minutes.

"Yes, I'm sure that is all out of your system," I ventured after she stopped. She breathed heavily after her outburst. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and the devil cowers if she hath a frying pan.

"Do you have any photos from our vacations? Specifically, the ones to Phuket?" A hum came from the other line.

"Yes. They are in the garage. Or the attic. Really, Sergei, you should stop by and help me clean up."

"Sorry, Mother, I need those photos." I paused for a second. I wasn't sure if I could rely on her.

"I'll see if I can get them. Are you going to get them or…" She trailed off. I gave her the number of a post office. She could leave it there and I would pick it up as soon as I could. She chuckled that I was always prepared for something like that.

"Only if you see a girl in the photo."

"That describes everyone! You and your girlfriend were inseparable."

"No the girl is in the back ground. She wears a red dress and has dark hair. Remember that."

"Is it work? She showed up at work didn't she? Crazy girl chasing after you. That reminds me, what happened to Jessica?"

"She got married to someone else." And I was glad of it. "Just send them to me okay?"

I hung up before she could rope me in to having dinner with them. No matter what she says, I know Perry hates me. I doesn't help that he is younger than me by three months. Really, I think it pisses him off.

I punched in another little dialed number.

"Feliks." A young voice travelled over the line.

"It is I, Sergei," I muttered.

"Oh, big bro. I was wonderin' why you stood up that chick I sent over a few nights ago." This was why I never talked to him. He always tried to set me up with a pretty girl saying I needed more fun.

"I didn't stand her up. She never arrived."

"Oh, shit. You moved?"

"Yes."

"Damn. Give me your new address."

"No."

"What do you want then?"

"Phuket, ten years ago, do you remember a girl with black hair?"

"Dude, that was a long time ago." I hated American Reality television. They ruined the human mind with words like "dude".

"Do you remember?" There was a head scratch on the other end.

"Hmm… I don't recall really. Any details?"

"Red."

"Oh, I have it!" I heard a few excited laughs from the other end. He was playing Tetris wasn't he?

"Back to you, I do recall something. There was a girl about my age. She wasn't hard on the eyes, but her sister. Younger, but she was hot."

"How do you remember that?"

"You know that thing I had for brunettes all of secondary school?" That was because of them."

"Photos?"

"Yeah. Fluttering skirts and all that. I'll drop it off." I gave him the post office address and he groaned.

"Nothing get's past you. Why the sudden interest? Did she show up at work?" Why did everyone assume that girls I met showed up at my workplace?

"No and drop it off."

"Whateva. If you two hook up, I wanna watch." I can personally assure all readers that not all Russians are like my brother.

I hung up with one word. "Never."

I apologize.